Several Houthi gunmen, including a commander, were killed while fighting the Yemeni army and pro-secession Southern Resistance Forces (SRF) in the Al-Shuraija area between Lahj and Taiz governorates in southwestern Yemen, a military official in Lahj told Almasdar Online. 

After Houthi fighters shelled the center of the Al -Shuraija front, army and resistance forces returned fire and killed the rebels.  

Local residents saw the dead bodies of the Houthi gunmen at the site of the clashes, which lasted for about a half an hour on Wednesday evening. 

The Houthis made some advances before withdrawing from their positions, leaving behind the gunmen’s bodies which included one of the commanders of the Al-Shuraija front, the military official said.

The Saudi-led coalition did not carry out any air strikes during the fighting despite requests for air support from army commanders on the front, the official added.